The Steel Guitar Forum

Brian,
I'd love to have a copy of your tracks. I'll PM you with address.

Hi Scott, Lane , Niels, Terry, Brett & Stan,

I have been asked to do play with a contemporary hymn group at that same church and have agreed. However, I need some help. Should I use my e9th pedal,steel and just not touch the pedals, or just use a lap steel. Is it the pedals that give our instrument the country sound. Or do I need to learn c6th . Any advice you can give me would be appreciated. Contemporary Christian music is not country and I don't want to sound country for this little gig.. Thank you dear friends.

I think you would do fine with your E9. The style of playing is what will make the difference. Practice with the group will help.

Hey Brian, congrats on the invitation. I agree with Scott; I can work with which ever way they do, hymns, country gospel, contemporary, only because I only know how to work with the E9th. I can't play lap steel, C6, or anything else. ...It depends on how you interpret their style of music and adapting whatever you play to go with the contemporary. I don't know how to explain it really. ...You'll do fine . ...

I think E9th works really well with hymns and praise songs. I don't play C6th, so E9th is the only tuning I use. I think using the pedals would make the songs more beautiful. I think E9th would work on contemporary hymns too.

I've played with gospel groups, and I've played with bands, and each has their own problems and rewards.

Playing gospel, you usually get out at 9pm to 10pm latest. You can go to a restaurant after for supper if you want.

Bands could be 1 or 2 am. You can go to Waffle House for breakfast if you want.

With gospel, no smoke to deal with, and I don't have to burn my clothes when I get home.

With bands, smell like a bar.

With gospel, you are almost always too loud, and some "little ole blue haired lady" will tell you so.

Usually in a bar or club volume isn't quite as sensitive of a subject.

With gospel every person in the quartet can sing any part and sing dead on.

In a band, it depends on how much they have had to drink and how late it is.

With gospel, hardly ever does a drunk come up and try to take the mike to sing "Old Time Rock and Roll.

In a bar some drunk, at around the last set or so, wants to grab the mike and sing "Old Time Rock and Roll".

With gospel, they may try to get you saved.

With a band, in a bar or club you may need to be "saved".

I like Bills comments about church versus a bar. I will say that after playing in church for many years I never did receive a tip. I have outside of church even though it was not in a bar. Many churches today, their music is not very good quality but then I have heard some bar room band that were not either. It is todays modern music that keeps me from playing in church. I have been to some if you did not play and you could they considered it you were not using your talent for the Lord. It just is not enjoyable for me.

Bill's description is dead on. For me nothing can compare playing in church. Your efforts and music is definitely appreciated beyond words, and it is very rewarding, when people tell you how you have blessed them with your gift of music, that makes it all worth while. I've been working with a Christian Country Gospel group for over 14 months steadily, and wouldn't trade it for any country group I've worked with in the past. That however, is just for me, (no flaming please) I've played country and still enjoy it just not in the places I once did. I like to travel and am getting to quite a bit. At least when I leave, I can drive home without the fear of being pulled over for a breath test and I can remember where I was the night before. Big improvement from what it was 40 years ago

One good thing about playing Gospel music (and being a Christian) is, the pay ain't much, but the retirement plan is out of this world!

That said, had another great night playin' at the nursing home last Monday!

I got a tip after a church singing once that went something like; if you're gonna play one of them "electric piano's", why don't you learn to play like Jimmy Swaggart?

Erv made a good suggestion about warming people up to the knowledge of what the instrument is. Guys (even in church) have analytical minds, and do want to know how 'those pedals work', and then oftentimes don't even see the knee levers and are even more intrigued when you disclose that they are there.

A short description of the guitar in this fashion leads to what is really neat in my opinion: and that is to do a short Gospel song without even using the bar to showcase how the steel can play with just the pedals and knees.

Skill-building for you, interesting for them...

PS. Erv....send me some of your jokes

Mark,
I'll tell you a few at the Iowa show!